Letters to the Editor - Nov. 15, 2012

Thursday

Nov 15, 2012 at 3:15 AMNov 15, 2012 at 2:48 PM

Take heart

To the editor: I am truly amazed at the emotion people have expressed about the recent election. But the partisanship as they call it in Washington, or the disparity between parties, will not bring us together as a nation, not will we be able to move forward if the mentality is “Our way or no way”.

Barack Obama did not cause this recession. If you recall we were attacked by Al Qaeda and somehow retaliated by going into Iraq based on the e belief that they had weapons of mass destruction. The Afghan people had reached out to us to help them rid their country of terrorism before this happened and the Bush administration chose to go after Saddam Hussein. What?

Since then we have spent 1.29 trillion dollars on this war. That's 100 billion a year, or 2 billion dollars Per Week!

The Wall Street moguls sucked us dry right in front of our eyes and the mortgage companies went bust because of making mortgages too available to those who could not pay.

These things affected the world economy and our pocketbooks.

This is not our present President's fault. He walked into this. Yet everyone puts the problems of the world on his shoulders, and he has handled it with grace and poise.

He came from humble beginnings and is a member of the United Church of Christ and has been since he was in college. What his father did or is- does not need to effect us.

United we stand — divided we fall. Didn't someone else say that?

Cathy Stanley

Milton

Small government

To the editor: I declare that the late former President Ronald Reagan's notion: “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem” is a false argument.

A well-respected predecessor of President Reagan once described our government as that of a “Government of the People, by the People, for the People.” If one accepts that premise, then one should also believe that Reagan, and all the other GOP politicians that have worn out Reagan's mantra, are labeling We, the 300 million citizens, the problem.

I submit that the real problems are: the election of leaders that claim to have a disdain for government and Washington; obscene money and special interests that infiltrate politics and control our elections; greed; corruption; self-servitude; lust for power; and a greatly distracted voting citizenry.

James Madison, the “Father of our Constitution,” perfectly summed up the need for government declaring, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” Of course, we must also be wary, as Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (who knew a non-angel) suggested, “Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.”

Government, with qualified and just leaders, is entrusted with the important role of laying down the foundation for the private. Good government, as evidenced frequently in recent times under the Obama Administration (see Hurricane Sandy), protects and empowers all citizens equally via the provision of public resources (i.e. roads; public schools; national defense; health care; public safety; protection from natural disasters; clean food, water and air).

We need to remain vigilant of the right wing politicians who decry “big government.” “Small government” is simply the Right's euphemism for total private/corporate government and dismantling of our public in favor of consolidated power and profits for the well connected. Furthermore, despite their supposed contempt for government these same individuals have no problems embracing the power, benefits, and privilege of their elected position.

We should insist that individuals popping off about 'big government” just get out of politics and stay out of the way of good government. I also recommend that Reagan's mantra be modified to read, “Bad government is never the solution to our problem; bad government, regardless of size, (with bad leaders) will always be the problem.

Wayne H. Merrit

Dover

A humane Thanksgiving

To the editor: Thanksgiving is a time for celebration, not cruelty. Here are five reasons to spare a turkey and enjoy a vegan feast instead:

1. Turkeys are gentle birds who like having their feathers stroked and gobbling along to music. Poultry scientist Tom Savage says, “I've always viewed turkeys as smart animals with personality and character, and keen awareness of their surroundings.”

2. Factory-farmed turkeys are packed so tightly together in filthy sheds that flapping a wing is nearly impossible. To keep the birds from pecking one another in frustration, farmers cut off part of the birds' sensitive upper beaks with a hot blade — using no pain relievers.

3. At the slaughterhouse, these “true American originals” are hung upside-down and their throats are cut while they're still conscious. Many are scalded alive in the tanks of water used for feather removal.

4. Turkey flesh is high in fat and cholesterol, and it's frequently contaminated with salmonella bacteria.

5. It's not fair to take a turkey's life to celebrate the blessings in your own. Vegan foods are healthy, humane, and delicious. See www.PETA.org for holiday recipes and product suggestions.

Have a happy and humane Thanksgiving.

Heather Moore

PETA Foundation

Norfolk, Va.

Struggles

To the editor: In addition to quantum mechanics and singularities, there's another mystery I struggle with:

To begin with, I hail from the northern reaches of New Hampshire, where we were taught self-reliance and independence that never ever even approached the boundaries of moderation. Charity of any sort was eyed as abject failure. We made do.

Now, I'm all for lending a helping hand and I give more to abandoned animal organizations than I can really afford, especially given the uncertainties of our borrowing 30 cents of every dollar that we as a nation spend. But the seemingly endless programs, aka entitlements, that enable so many to do nothing nowadays, I confess get my knickers into a bit of a wad.

Did I do it the wrong way by working to age-contingent retirement? Did my parents err by teaching me to be intolerant of sloth, or has my generation allowed this to happen? I just can't get used to turning to the government for help whenever one takes one of life's hits.

Is this a new world order that I'm just now becoming aware of, because it was laid out during the campaign? Is the new way for two twenty-somethings up the street, both on some sort of program, to run their AC a lot and I can't afford to (nor can our energy supply)? Is the man I know with a wife and two kids who works a winter-based job and refuses to take anything else for the other six unless it's more than he can collect, smart? Is another friend of a friend serious when he threatens a lawsuit because his heat subsidy was cut, possibly necessitating shorter video game time on his iPhone? Is my awkwardness justifiable when I sit at a table with eight family members all of whom are collecting while dressing off a donated road-killed deer, especially when I can't add any new method to get-something-for-nothing to the conversation? Am I becoming suddenly selectively aware of the “47%?”

Clearly, I'm not up to speed. Where was I when this fundamental change in the land of opportunity happened? Was I working, or something? Is this some sort of fast-forward evolution that I'm supposed to be privileged to witness during my lifetime?

It was brought into sharp focus for me when I heard the President say, referring to illegal aliens, “We need the entrepreneurial spirit of these folks.”

Could it be that's what Native Americans said to the first intruders, the Pilgrims? You know, that along with “Forward.”

All in all, it seems easier to work out quantum mechanics, albeit equally abstract.

Bruce C. Bacon

Rochester

Lord, help us

To the editor: Four more years — Lord, help us ...

In 2008, I wrote a letter to the editor in which I predicted the train wreck that would be the Obama Administration. Everything I wrote in that piece was spot on. Our nation is presently in a shambles concerning every aspect of our lives. Our quality of life has been severely degraded. We have record unemployment, zero job growth, and no jobs for 50 percent of college graduates by the way, skyrocketing medical costs as a result of ObamaCare, record consumer prices, a depressed real estate market, record energy prices, record numbers of people on welfare and a record national debt that has been run up by the Democrats. We have major Democrat scandals, still unresolved as I type this — and all under the Obama Regime.

In 2010, I thought there was hope for conservatism based on the mid-term elections. All the way up and down the line including New Hampshire, Democrats and their socialist agendas were rejected by the voters. Then came voting day 2012.

In New Hampshire we will have socialists in the Governor's Office (Hassan), two US Representatives (Shea-Porter and Kuster) and one US Senator (Shaheen), leaving conservative Kelly Ayotte as the only voice of reason left to represent the Granite State. The State Legislature went Democrat and the State Senate barely survived retaining the majority of Republicans. We will be back to a tax and spend agenda in Concord. Hassan and her leftists will soon have a whopping deficit budget prepared for our state and I predict she will even propose a state income tax. She will soon show her true colors.

So once again New Hampshire, I have a couple of comments for all of you who voted Democrat. You don't learn from past mistakes and unfortunately all of us will pay dearly for your very bad decisions at the voting booth that put these leftists back in power all the way from the New Hampshire State House and Governor's Office to the Oval Office in Washington, DC.

“Caveat Emptor” – “Let the buyer beware”.

Donald E Chesnel

Rochester

In appreciation

To the editor: I had a joyous day last Tuesday, standing at the polls and greeting the voters of Ward 1. It was wonderful to see our representative democracy functioning so well. Our poll workers did a superb job of processing the hundreds of same-day registrants and keeping those already registered moving through the process efficiently.

I am grateful for the privilege of serving as the newly elected state representative. Though I ran unopposed, I spent many days walking the neighborhoods to meet and talk with voters. My thanks to all who took the time to talk with me and to come out to vote.

Now the real work begins. I commit to being a conscientious representative. I will be present and participate fully in the legislative process. I will do my homework. I will listen to your concerns. I will work “from the middle” to address issues in a balanced manner.

As we go through these next two years together, I look forward to our work together. Your thoughts are most welcome: jimv4nh@gmail.com or 343-4652.

Jim Verschueren

State Representative — Elect

District 13, Ward 1, Dover

With love, not a big ego

To the editor: Around the country, women and families spoke up to the Republican party's intent to turn back the clock on women's privacy in regards to health care and family planning. Speaking of undoing union gains likely had the same bring-out-the-vote effect. Some ideas are just plain rotten. People get that.

Monday before voting day I was in Manchester for my car's winter maintenance. In the waiting room a young woman spoke because of the TV's news, saying, “I'm not much for following politics. But if it weren't for Planned Parenthood's health care, I wouldn't have known I had ovarian cancer and had it taken care of.” She was voting against Republicans the next day.

Granny D talked about the politics of greed and the politics of love. Greed must include greed-for-power. Let's ask that our new legislators actually prefer loving their state and country and the people within, letting go of ego-building associations with power.

Lynn Rudmin Chong

Sanbornton

Our team

To the editor: By now I think most of us are a bit tired of politics, whether “our team” won or not. The sheer inundation of ads, robo-calls, etc. could be overwhelming at times.

So while the race is over in 49 states, there's still Florida, screwing up again as it did twelve years ago. Oh well, we can't blame hanging chads this time apparently-at least as far as I know. Hey, maybe it's just good old organizational incompetence and not chicanery after all! Yeah, sure.

Maybe we can write off the Sunshine State's vote counting problems to various causes; but one way or another, Florida's voting officials seem to be suffering from a severe case of “electile dysfunction” — a condition that has lasted four days as this is written! Professional help would be in order, I'd say.

Robert Barter

Berwick, Maine

Legalize prostitution

To the editor: In regard to the arrest of Brooke Parent on Prostitution Charges. Brooke's Body belongs to Her and she has the Right to do what she wants. There is nothing Criminal about sharing and enjoying Sexual pleasure.

The United States needs to change some of it's idiotic laws.

Muriel M. Lucas

Gainesville, Georgia

Formerly of Durham

Trounced

To the editor: America has spoken. Hopefully Mr. Boehner and Mr. McConnell will listen and do the right thing and work with the democrats.

Four years ago they stated they wanted to see the president fail and be a one term president. There was no effort to come together and work with the democrats in the house and Senate and bring this country back from a near total collapse.

A collapse brought on by eight years of Bush's leadership and his incompetent greedy friends. Just think what this country can accomplish if Congress (both parties) can set aside their stubbornness and massive egos and come together and solve the problems that face this nation.

If the Republican leadership refuses to work with the Democrats I believe they will continue to lose the support of the American people, (especially the middle and lower class) and get trounced in the next election.